Michigan State University is losing athletic director J Batt after just one year on the job.
The University of Kentucky announced Monday that Batt has been named the Wildcats’ next athletics director and chief executive officer of Champions Blue LLC, Kentucky’s athletics-related business arm.
Batt will officially join the school later this summer, succeeding longtime athletics director Mitch Barnhart, who is retiring at the end of June after nearly 25 years leading the department.
Batts was featured in a UK video news release saying, “Big Blue Nation, I'm Jay Bat, and I couldn't be more excited to join you as the new CEO of Champions Blue and Director of Athletics at the University of Kentucky. I'm so excited, along with my wife Leah, and our sons, Fitz and Graham, to join you and the entire Big Blue Nation. Go Cats!"
Outgoing Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz issued a statement late Monday morning praising Batt’s work at MSU and saying the university will soon name an interim athletic director.
“I appreciate the energy and innovation that J Batt brought to Spartan Athletics over this past year,” Guskiewicz said. “He has set our athletics department on a positive path, one that our outstanding and dedicated team will continue driving forward. During his tenure, he helped position our athletics program for success in a rapidly changing collegiate landscape while advancing our commitment to competitive excellence, academic achievement and the student-athlete experience. Amy and I both wish J, Leah and their family happiness and success in Kentucky.”
Guskiewicz said he will work with university and athletics department leaders over the coming days to name an interim and outline a search process.
“We remain committed to supporting our student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and fans while continuing to pursue excellence in all that we do,” he said.
Batt came to Michigan State last year from Georgia Tech, where he served as athletic director and vice president. He also previously held several roles at the University of Alabama, including executive deputy director.
In its announcement, Kentucky praised Batt as a leader in fundraising, facility investment and creating new revenue streams in college athletics.
UK says that during Batt’s time at Michigan State, he helped secure a more than $400 million commitment, which Kentucky described as the largest single gift in college athletics.
UK also credited Batt with helping establish Spartan Ventures, a nonprofit designed to create new revenue streams and partnerships for MSU athletics.
MSU PRESIDENT'S DEPARTURE
Batt’s departure comes less than three weeks after Guskiewicz announced he would be leaving to become president of Clemson University.
Guskiewicz’s exit follows public tensions with some members of the MSU Board of Trustees. Before his departure, trustees had voted to raise Guskiewicz’s base pay to $2 million and extend his contract through 2031 in an effort to keep him at the university.
The board also approved an updated ethics policy during that special meeting. Last Friday, trustees Rema Vassar and Mike Balow were censured by their colleagues after declining to agree to the new code of conduct, which references a “duty of loyalty” and limits trustees’ ability to dissent from majority board decisions.
The censure passed 4-3.
The consequences for not agreeing to the updated policy include losing free tickets to athletic events and optional travel reimbursements, as well as possible removal from board and committee leadership positions.
Guskiewicz cited the behavior of some board members as a factor in his decision to leave MSU.
In a letter to the MSU community, he said the university’s ability to make progress was being hampered when disagreements turned into public efforts to undermine decisions.
The leadership turmoil has also drawn attention from state officials. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer criticized the behavior of some board members after Guskiewicz’s departure, and the upheaval has led state lawmakers to consider changes to how Michigan’s public university boards are selected.
MSU has gone through several permanent and interim presidents since 2018. Guskiewicz’s departure left the university preparing to search for its seventh president, including interim leaders, in eight years.
Batt’s exit now leaves Michigan State with two major leadership vacancies at the same time, adding to several years of instability at the university and inside its athletics department.
Michigan State will now be hiring its third athletic director since 2021.